Tubular confection



May 4, 1926. 1,583,134 I A. D. FISHER ruaugm couFEcTIm Filed May 29, 1925 'III | I l t Hm I INVENTEIFL.

awa /1 Patented May 4, 1926.

UNITED sf'raras' ALEXANDER-,- :o. FISHER, or 'rononro; on'mnr cannon.

TUBULAR CONEECTION.

Application filed May 29, 1925. Serial No. 33,723.

To, all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER D; FISHER,

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Tubular Confections, of which the following is a specification.

linmy prior Patent N 1,481 %,01'6', dated Feb. 19th, 1924', I have shown. and described a tube formed of compressed chocolate which was to be filled with a suitable fondant or other suitable filling and sealed at each end. with a plug 0t chocolate.

The filling and plugging of the tubes presents no. difficulty if the time element be disregarded but. great difliculty is experienced in. getting sufii'ciently rapid production to compete; successfully Withthe chocolate bar for its particular market,

The requirements for rapid production are: 5 v I lst. That the plugging operations should be performed simultaneously on a large numberof tubes-1;,

2nd. That, the bottoms of the empty tubes shouldbe plugged without spoiling the true cylindrical surifaces of the tubes either internal-l-y or; externally; c 3rd. That the other ends of the tubesafter filling should be, plugged; without spoiling the true cylindrical external" form ofthe confection Whether the filling; material com-- pletely fillsjthc tube or-not; and

, out. depositing any filling materialonthe a: convenient number, say one-dozen.

outside oil the tube; e

'The aboverequirements are fulfilled by proceeding in the fol-lowing manner, The tubes are placed and accuratelycentered in a vertical position on a form adapted to; hollld T T e tubes rest on dip-ping paper or a non-adhesive metal surface suitably held positioned' ongthegform The term is taken to a machineradapted to dropmelted chocolate dropsof a predetermined size and pro vid'ed with dependtng dropping nozzles adapted to; extend nearly to the bottoms of the tubesz A: dropis thus deposited in the bottom of each tube su-fiieientto' seal it and this is d'oneWithou-t any being deposited on the inner cylindrical surface of the tube as happens it one attempts to drop the sealing material from the-top of the tube.

q The tubes, when the plugs have set, are

taken to the filling machine which is; adapted to force fondant. or other semi-liquid orplastic material in measured quantities through cylindricalynozzles of such a size. that the chocolate tubes will fit overthemeasily but snugly. When" the machine is inoperation and a tube; is in position on a filling nozzle the outflowin'g fondant presses back the" tube as it emerges from the-nozzle and at the instant the'tube is" substantially full it is removed With a quick partly side ise movement to break the flow of fondant and another tube slippedin position, or the fondant may be cut mechanically.

The filling of the tubes thus being from the bottoms upwards, I ensure the tubes being completely filled at all points of their length, whereas, if it be attempted to fill them from the open end, unfifl-l'ed spaces are very' apt to-be left at different parts of the length of the tubes and fmore particularly adjacent their bottoms. T0 ensure the proper outward expansion of the fondant against the inner Walls of the tubes, a yield ing pressure is maintained against the outerend of each tube until it is filled;

In view of the method of filling employed,

the'im-portance of havi-ng'true inside cylindrical surfaces for the tubes wi l l be appreciated. As already stated, toensure complots and proper filling the chocolate tubes have a piston-like-fit on the filler nozzles so that theyare forced back as filled without any fondant flowing out between the a da cent cylindrical surfaces of the tubes and nozzles. o

It then any tu' b'eshave had any plugging material dropped on" their: interior cyl in drical surfaces, they will not fit on the nozzles but Willsplit \vh-ich'Wil'l not only necessitate'their being scrapped but ill also upset the Workingof the filling" machine and cause a Waste of fondant. v

The next step in the process is to-partly apply the Wrapper to thefi-lled tube," The Wrapping operator rolls thew-rappers; on the l tubes and folds; in thefbottomendsonlyleava dozen tubes and the form taken to "a dropping machine of the type employed in plugging the bottoms of the tubes, though short nozzles only are necessary; This'fmachine deposits melted chocolate drops of sufficient size to seal the open ends of the tubes. The plugs so formed possess a true cylindrical outer form with a flat end, since the wrapper of a tube forms a cylindrloal mold wall in exact continuation of the outer surface of the tube and the chocolate, being in melted condition and the tube vertical, sets with a horizontal upper surface. When the plugs have set the ends of the wrappers are folded down and the tubular confections are ready for packing.

The final result is that the wrapped confection has a true cylindrical form with substantially plane ends exactly at right angles to the ends of the tube, which condition is necessary to'giv'e the confectlon the neat, attractive appearance necessary to please a fastidious public taste,

The'accompanying drawings illustrate the different stages of the process and also, diagrammatically, the apparatus employed.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a chocolate tube'showing the nozzle of a dropping machine depositing plugging material in the lower end;

Fig. 2 a similar view illustrating the filling of a plugged tube; V

Fig. 3 a similar view of a filled and partly wrapped tube showing the nozzle of a dropping machine depositing plugging material on the open end;

Fig. 4 a similar view of the complete confection with the wrapper removed;

Fig. 5 a plan view of a tube carrying and centering form, partly broken, away;

Fig. 6 a diagrammatical vertical section of a dropping machine;

Fig. 7 a similar view of a filling machine; and

Fig. 8 a perspective view of a completely wrapped tube. V

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. In Fig. 5 I show the form in which the tubular shells are placed ready for plugging and filling. This comprises a base 1 on which is secured a corrugated strip -2 of metal for forming V-shaped recesses in which the lower ends of the tubes are received and in which they are held -by the bar 3 carried by arms 4 pivotally connected with the ends of the base. The corrugations are, of course, formed so the tubes are accurately alined and evenly spaced. Before the tubes are placed in position a strip 5 of confectionery dripping paper is slipped into position on the base, its forward edge being held under a metal strip 6. A strip of polished metal to which chocolate will not adhere may be substituted for the dipping paper. The base may be of any length, but is preferably adapted to carry twelve tubes.

The form carrying the tubes is now carried to a dropping machine, such as shown in Fig. 6. This machine is provided with a vertically movable platform 7 provided with operating means including a lever 8.

Chocolate or other plugging material is placed in a container 9 provided with a hot water jacket 10, which maintains it in melted condition. Connected with the underside of the container is a cylinder 11, in which operates a plunger 12.

From the lower end of the cylinder eX- determined quantity of chocolate is forced.

through thetube 13. The plunger is usually a loose fit in the cylinder so that heated chocolate may flow past it, thus avoiding the necessity of employing valves. pitman mechanism 14; serves to operate the plunger. A dropping tube with its associatedmechanism is provided for each of the chocolate tubes positioned in the form.

The form, having been placed on the platform, the latter is elevated so that the lower end of each dropping tube is close to the bottom of the chocolate tube in which it is positioned. The plungers are then reciprocated and the drop of melted chocolate dropped into the bottom of the tube, perfectly sealing the same. The platform is then lowered and the form with the tubes removed. The tubes. are allowed to stand a sufficient length of time for the chocolate plugs to solidify, and then are taken to the filling machine, which is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 7 Two feed rollers 15 feed the fondant or other filling to a rotary tubular valve 16. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 7, it closes off the inlet to a filling nozzle 17, on which, as hereinbefore referred to, a chocolate-tube is fitted. The valve is then rotated, closing off the flow of filling material from the feed rollers and opening up a communication between the filling nozzle and the cylinder 18 Crank and in which reciprocates a plunger 19. The

plunger is forced towards the filling tube a sufficient distance to eject from the filling tube a sufficient quantity of'filling material to exactly fill the chocolate tube, which is then removed as hereinbefore referred to. The flow of filling is at this time again closed off by the rotation of the tubular valve and a fresh supply of fondant forced into the valve and cylinder by the feed rollers. The filling tubes are then partly wrapped as hereinbefore described and again carried to the dropping machine, which may be the same dropping machine as used for plugging the bottoms of the tubes, though preferably a duplicate is employed. By this machine the sealing plug for the .inbefore described and the completed confection is then ready for the completion of the Wrapping operation, the completely wrapped confection being shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

What I claim is 1. In a process of forming a tubular confection the steps which consist in forming a chocolate tube, sealing one end by supporting the tube in a vertical position on a plane surface and dropping plastic plugging material to close the bottom of the tube from a point within the tube close to the bottom. I I

2. In a process of forming a tubular confection the steps which consist in forming a chocolate tube, sealing one end, filling the tube with filling material; partly wrapping the tube and leaving the wrapper extended in tubular form about the open end; dropping melted plugging material into the mold formed by the projecting end of the wrapper and the end of the tube with its filling; and finally folding in the projecting end of the Wrapper.

3. In a process of forming a tubular confection the steps which consist in forming' a chocolate tube, sealing one end by supporting the tube in a vertical position on a plane surface and dropping plaster plugging material to close the bottom of the tube from a point within the tube close to the bottom, positioning the tube-on a filling noz- -zle on which it has a piston-like fit, forcing filling material through the nozzle till the tube is filled and forced back to a position for removal, partly wrapping the tube and leaving the wrapper extended in tubular form about the open end; and dropping plastic plugging material into the mold formed by the projecting end of the wrapper and the end of the tube with its filling.

4. In a process of forming a tubular confection the steps which consist in forming a chocolate tube, sealing one end, positioning the tube on a filling nozzle on which it has a piston-like fit and forcing filling material through the nozzle till the tube is filled and forced back to a position for removal, partly wrapping the tube and leaving the wrapper extended in tubular form about the open end; and dropping melted plugging material into the mold formed by the projecting end of the wrapper and the end of the tube with its filling.

Signed at Toronto, Canada, this 19th day of May, 1925.

ALEXANDER D. FISHER. 

